What is the role and importance of the Guru as described in Chapter 26?

According to Chapter 26, the Guru holds the ultimate key to spiritual liberation and true knowledge. The text explicitly states that in the world, only the Guru is capable of granting the knowledge of Truth to a disciple. It is through the Guru's words, referred to as the Great Sayings (Mahavakyas), that the light of non-dual bliss can shine forth and dissolve the illusion of the material world. The author's prayer to Sai Baba underscores this, as he asks the Guru to make his intellect turn inward and grant him discrimination. The chapter emphasizes that the Guru's grace is the foundation for realizing the self-luminous and eternal nature of the Self, making the Guru's role absolutely central to a seeker's journey.